Smartphones have been known to emit minuscule amounts of radiation, which worries some people that it might cause diseases such as cancer. Various scientific studies provide divergent views, with one study concluding that smartphones do indeed cause cancer, while other studies claim that radiation from smartphones is only harmful to small animals such as rats, not people.
If you’re interested to know which smartphones emit the most radiation, the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection has released a cellphone radiation report showing the worst offenders. The Xiaomi Mi A1 and the OnePlus 5T were found to emit the highest levels of radiation in the study, while the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and the ZTE Axion Elite produce the least radiation.
The cellphone radiation report took note of each smartphone’s specific absorption rate or SAR, which quantifies the amount of radiofrequency waves emitted. A higher SAR increases the chances that users are exposed to harmful radiation.
Smartphone brands Xiaomi and OnePlus were the worst offenders in the cellphone radiation report, accounting for 8 of the top 16 handsets that emit the most radiation. The Xiaomi Mi A1 had the highest SAR at 1.75 watts per kilogram while the OnePlus 5T is next with 1.68. The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 is third at 1.58, followed by the OnePlus 6T at 1.55 and the HTC U12 Life at 1.48.
The iPhone 7 and the iPhone 8 were ranked 9th and 14th, respectively, among smartphones that emit the most radiation.
As for smartphones that emit the least amounts of radiation, Samsung accounted for 8 of the top 16 handsets in the list. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and the ZTE Axion Elite were tied for first with a SAR of 0.17 watts per kilogram, followed by the LG G7 and the Samsung Galaxy A8 at 0.24. Flagship handsets Samsung Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy S9+ also scored high marks, ranking 5th and 9th, respectively.
Before you ditch your Xiaomi or Apple device for a Samsung one, take note that there is still no universal guideline for a safe level of smartphone radiation. Blue Angel, the German certification for environmental friendliness, only certifies smartphones with a SAR of less than 0.60 watts per kilogram.
Furthermore, there’s still no conclusive, long-term study proving that smartphone radiation is harmful to humans. A $25 million study by the National Toxicology Program indicated that radiation from smartphones causes cancer in rats, but two government studies show that cellphone radiation is only harmful to rats, not humans.
For more information about the cellphone radiation report, visit this page.
Why then does the fine print for the iphones say that they were tested no closer than six inches to the head, and that they should not be carried in the pockets. Sure sounds safe to me, low radiation or not. Israel is reporting an increase in cancer in the area around the earlobe. There are women in the US who have carried smartphones in their bras and have developed tumors in the area where the antenna area made contact. Europe is definitely paying attention. Interesting that the guy that heads up the FCC spent a lot of years in the telemcommunications business.
Belgium, and other countries have bans in place that smartphones will not be marketed to children.